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Seascout wrote:We are noticing a disjunct in BSA policy concerning exactly this topic. In a perfect world, all summer camp merit badge counselors would be qualified and would review each scout in his classes for each point of the merit badge he is teaching. The reality is sometimes much different to this.
We understand that once a Council approved merit badge counselor has signed off on a requirement, it is deemed to have been met. Period. We also note that the criterion the counselor should have held does not change simply because of the summer camp setting. So what happens if/when a blue-card is signed off by a counselor for criterion which were obviously NOT met? (We had one boy for whom a canoeing merit badge was signed off who had not been allowed in the canoe because he was classified as a non-swimmer. Each time we have kids earning badges at summer/winter camp, there are at least a few questionable approvals - if not this extreme.)
Because of this, our troop policy has been to have an appropriate local merit badge counselor go over the each badge with the boys - not in a testing kind of way, but simply checking with him to see if he actually did each of the activities required. If he reports that he didn't, or if it is obvious that the requirement could not have taken place at summer camp, the counselor makes arrangements with the boy to finish the badge properly so it can be awarded. This seems to be approved by the BSA policy which does not permit merit badges to be awarded at camp, but leaves final approval and awards to the troop committee.
Do other troops have a similar policy? If not, how do you handle the flagrant, if only occasional, abuses of a policy that would simply hand out the summer camp earned badge without question?
Our policy has been questioned as being in violation of BSA procedures by a couple of parents. I'd be interested in feedback as to how we are handling this.
Here is BSA Policy:
Procedures for advancement in camp are established by the council advancement committee in compliance with national procedures, and under the direction of the council executive board. The camp director and program director, and the committee responsible for camp program should be included in the process. Resident camp standards require a letter from the council advancement committee approving merit badge counselors. There are no camp-related exemptions from the qualifications. No council, committee, district, unit, or individual has the authority to add to or subtract from advancement requirements. Camp counselors and those assisting them, regardless the circumstances, must comply. If requirements as written cannot be completed at camp, they must be done elsewhere.
Once a registered and approved counselor has passed a Scout on its requirements, a merit badge cannot be taken away. Nor does unit leadership have the authority to “veto” it. Even if a merit badge counselor were found to be improperly documented, it would be a rare occasion when a Scout would be penalized for a failure of an adult volunteer. Unsuitable counselors or those who do not follow BSA procedures should be reported to the local council. There must be attention to each individual’s projects and his fulfillment of all requirements. We must know that every Scout—actually and personally—completed them.
So here's my take on what you're doing...it is not correct and you are retesting (a.k.a "simply checking") and you should be raising cain and wire-brushing the camp director and council advancement commitee. Obvious situations like the non-swimmer must be addressed..my question is how did the scout get a blue card to start Canoeing from his SM????
The other thing I would do is have a SMC with the scout and chat about his camp experience and talk about how the MB system works and how we expect each scout to be honest about whether or not he did all the requirements and how we can all do better the next time.
